Excavating apparatus.



J. A. REED.

EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I. 1916.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

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J. A. REED.

EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FIILED MAY 1. I916.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

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JAMES A. REED, OF HENRYETTA, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 HENRYHOWARD, OF HENRYETTA, OKLAHOMA.

EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

Application filed May 1, 1916. Serial No. 94,763.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES A. REED, a citizen of the 'United States,residing at Henryetta, in the county of Okmulgee and State of Oklahoma,have invented new and useful Improvements in Excavating Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to excavating apparatus of that class in which acar supported on an elevated track carries a scraper which may bevertically adjusted to excavate material at the required depth, suchexcavated material being subsequently carried to a dumping place andthere deposited by tilting the scraper.

The present invention has for its object to produce an excavatingapparatus of the class referred. to which will be simple in constructionand thoroughly efficient in operation.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve theconstruction of the car or carriage and related parts.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of partswhich will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of theclaims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the scraperlowered for operation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation raised fortransportatlon. Fig. 3 1s a top plan view. Fig. 4: is a transversesectional view taken on the line 41 in Fig. 3, through the axis of thetransporting wheels and guide wheels at one end of the car. Fig. 1* is adetail end view of one of the hangers I-I detached. Fig. 5 is alongitudinal sectional detail view taken on the line 55 in Fig. 3.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by likecharacters of reference. The car or carriage C is supported for travelon a track which may be formed of two tightly strung cables 15, thesamebeing supported at a suitable elevation above the material to beexcavated. In many cases this will be the preferred track constructionon account of the facility and comparatively small expense thereof; itis obvious, however, that a track of a more permanent character may besupported on trestles or framework of any convenient character.

The carriage has been shown as consisting of a rectangular frame havingside members 16 and end members 17, 18 which for convenience will becalled the front and rear end members. The side members 16 projectterminally beyond the end members to produce ears or lugs 19 with whichclips or clevises 20 are connected for convenience in attaching theropes or cables whereby the device is operated,.as will be more fullydescribed.

The car G is equipped with supporting wheels 21 and with guide wheels 22which are mounted on the side members adjacent to the four corners ofthe car frame. The wheels 21 and 22 are of substantially the same sizeand construction, all of said wheels being annularly grooved, as seen at23; the supporting wheels in order to engage and ride on the cableswhich constitute the tracks and the guide wheels in order that thehoisting cables to be presently described may be guided thereover. Thesupporting wheels and guide wheels are mounted in.

hangers H of special construction, each of said hangers comprising twoinverted U- shaped yokes 24, 25, the proximate limbs of which areconnected together at their lower ends by a bridge piece 26 which, whenthe hanger is placed in position abut-s on the lower edge of one of theside members 16. The yokes 24, 25 will thus be disposed adjacent to theinner and outer faces, respectively, of the side members 16. The limbsof the yokes, as well as the side members 16, are apertured for thepassage of the spindles or axles 27 which may consist of bolts, andwhich serve to support for rotation the supporting wheels 21 and theguide wheels 22, only one axle being required for each pair of wheels.When the supporting wheels travel on the track, the weight of the framewill be supported on the bridge pieces 26 that connect the yokes 24, 25of the hangers, thereby relieving the axles of excessive strain. 1

The guide members of the frame are provided with bearings for a pair ofshafts 28, 29 which may be respectively designated as the front and therear shaft. The shafts 28 and 29 constitute drum shafts with whichcables 30 and 31 are connected, said cables being guided over the guidewheels at the front and rear ends of the car frame, respe'ctively. Eachof the drum shafts is provided with a ratchet wheel '32 which willprevent reverse rotation of the shaft when engaged by a dog 33 which ispivoted on oneof the side members of the car frame. The dogs 33 areprovided each with an upwardly extending handle 34 whereby it may beconveniently manipulated by the operator for whom a step or stand 35 isprovided at the rear end of the frame. Hand wheels 36 or other means ofwell known construction are provided whereby the shafts 28, 29 may berotated by the operator for the purpose of winding the cables 30, 31 onsaid shafts.

Suspended below the car frame C by the cables 30, 31 is a scraper Swhich may consist of a scoop of suitable dimensions comprising a bottommember 37 having upturned flanges 38, 39 at the sides and rear endthereof. The cables 31 leading to the rear shaft 29 have been shown asbeing connected with the flange 39 near the rear corners of the scoop.The cables 30 leading to the drum shaft 28 are connected with'a yoke 40,the limbs of which are pivotally connected with the side flanges 38 nearthe front end of the scoop. The cables 30 will thus be supported clearof any material that may be engaged by the scraper. It will be seen thatby operating the hand wheels 36, the front and rear ends of the scrapermay be independently raised with respect to the car or carriage. Thescraper may be tilted to a .dumping position by disengaging the dog fromthe ratchet on the forward drum shaft 28; by disengaging the dog fromthe ratchet on the rearmost drum shaft the rearward end of the scrapermay be lowered.

For the purpose of operating the car and the scraper a pulling cable 41is provided, the same being connected with a winding drum or Windlass 42which is operated by an engine or motor, conventionally indicated at 43,the manner of operating and reversing the windlass being not claimed orillustrated in detail, such mechanism being well known. The terminalends of the pulling cable, after being guided over guide elements 44adjacent to the ends of the track, are connected with the car and withthe scraper in the following manner: The front end 45 of the cable isdivided into four branches, two of which, 46, are connectedwith clevises20 at the front ends of the side members of the car, while two otherbranches, 47, of the cable are connected with clevises 48 attached tothe 'front 'ends of the sideyflanges 38: of the scraper. In like manner,the rearward end portion 49 of the pulling cable is divided into fourbranches, two of which, 50, are connected with the clevises 20 at therearward ends of the side members of the carriage, while two otherbranches, 51, are connected with clevises 52 attached to the rearwardflange 39 of the scraper. In this manner, when pulling stress is appliedto the main cable 41 either in a forward or rearward direction, suchstress will be equally transmitted to the car and to the scraper. Itfollows that when the scraper has been previously adjusted to dig intothe ground at a certain depth it will become loaded as the carriage andthe scraper are pulled in a forward direction. When a load has beenaccumulated the scraper may be elevated, the front end being elevatedslightly above the rear end to prevent material from spilling over. Thecar and the scraper may now be conveyed along the track to the dumpingpoint where the load is deposited, after which the car and scraper maybe returned to the place where the excavation is being 90 made for arepetition of the operation.

It is evident that by the use of the improved device an excavation maybe made quickly and effectively, and the excavated material may beconveyed to a desired dumping place within the limits of the length ofthe track.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In an excavating device, a carriage, an elevated track supporting thesame, drum shafts and guide wheels on the carriage, a scraper, cablesconnected with the scraper and with the drum shafts and guided over theguide wheels, dogs and ratchet wheels to prevent reverse rotation of thedrum shafts, and means for rotating the drum shafts to wind the cablesthereon.

2. In an excavating device, a carriage consisting of a rectangular framehaving side members and end members, hangers connected with the sidemembers, each hanger comprising two inverted yokes and a bridge piececonnecting the same, said bridge piece bearing against the lower edge ofone of the side members of the frame, the yokes being positionedadjacent to the inner and outer faces of such side member, axlesextending through the side members of the car frame and through theyokes of the hangers, supporting wheels mounted on the axles within theyokes adjacent to the outer faces of the side members, and guide wheelsmounted on the axles within the yokes adjacent to the inner faces of theside members.

3. In an excavating device, a carriage consisting of a rectangular framehaving side members and end members, hangers connected with the sidemembers, each hanger comprising two invertedyokes and a bridge 130 piececonnecting the same, said bridge piece bearing against the lower edge ofone of the side members of the frame, the yokes being positionedadjacent to the inner and outer faces of such side member, axlesextending through the side members of the car frame and through theyokes of the hangers, supporting wheels mounted 011 the axles within theyokes adjacent to the outer faces of the side members, and guide wheelsmounted on the axles within the yokes adjacent to the inner faces of theside members; in combination with drum shafts journaled in the sidemembers of the frame, a scraper, and

. supporting cables connecting the scraper with the drum shafts, saidcables being guided over the guide wheels.

l. In an excavating device of the class described, a carriage arrangedto travel on an elevated track, drum shafts on said carriage, a scraper,a yoke connected pivotally with the scraper at the front end thereof,cables connected with the yoke adjacent to the sides of the scraper,said cables being also connected with a drum shaft on the carriage,cables connecting the rearward end of the scraper with another drumshaft on the carriage, and guide wheels mounted adjacent to the innerfaces of the side members of the carriage over which the cables areguided.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES A. REED.

Witnesses to signature:

BARCLAY MORGAN, C. C. MORGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

